Hedge End, once a modest village in Hampshire, has undergone rapid and relentless expansion over the past few decades. While growth can bring opportunity, the pace and scale of development in this area have raised serious concerns among residents, particularly regarding the lack of supporting infrastructure.

Housing Growth Outpacing Infrastructure

Between 2001 and 2011, Hedge End’s population increased by 33.6%, a dramatic rise driven by developments such as Dowd’s Farm. Eastleigh Borough Council has since approved or allocated space for hundreds more homes, with 738 new dwellings planned for Hedge End alone over the next ten years. Just next door, the One Horton Heath development is set to add 2,500 homes. This unchecked expansion has not been matched by investment in critical infrastructure, resulting in mounting pressure on local services.

Struggles in Healthcare and Education

The population boom has stretched local healthcare services to their limits. Residents regularly report difficulties in accessing GP appointments, with practices struggling to keep up with demand. Despite this, there has been little in the way of new medical facilities or increased capacity.

Education provision has also lagged behind. Schools in the area are full, with some families unable to secure places for their children nearby. So acute is the shortage that Eastleigh Borough Council took the unusual step of planning to build a new school themselves for One Horton Heath—a responsibility typically held by the county council.